1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to folding knives, and more particularly concerns a folding knife wherein a blade member pivots laterally between a deployed position and a storage position within a supporting handle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Folding knives are generally styled and dimensioned so that they can be used as pocket knives. In most such knives a blade component is pivotable from a closed position within the confines of a handle component to an open position with the blade extending forwardly from and supported by the handle.
The handle of the folding knife generally has a slotted configuration, and the blade is foldable in its own plane about a pivot pin orthogonally positioned with respect to the slot and a tang portion of the blade. The cutting edge of the blade enters the handle slot first, and its dull back portion protrudes from the slot, thereby enabling the user to grasp the protruding back of the blade and swing it out of the slot to a deployed state forwardly and in line with the handle. The blade is generally held in its deployed state by a leaf spring interactive between the handle and the tang of the blade.
One of the problems encountered with such typical folding blade pocket knives is that the blade travels in the direction of its edge when it folds, either deliberately or accidentally, toward its storage state. Such action can cut the hand of the user. Also, knives of this type are not able to withstand the forces that can be withstood by a rigid blade knife, such as the typical hunter's knife. Furthermore, the pivot pin and leaf spring of the conventional folding blade knife are subject to deterioration and wear, causing the blade to become loose after extended rugged use.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,083,110 and 4,536,959 disclose folding knives wherein the blade is mounted to the handle by a pivot pin within the plane of the blade and handle, thereby enabling the blade to swing laterally or sideways with respect to the handle. Such functionality eliminates problems inherent in the aforementioned more commonplace designs. However, a newly encountered problem is the inadvertent folding of the blade with respect to the handle when the knife is used. This is most likely to occur when a lateral force is being applied to the blade, as when the blade is used in a scraping or prying action.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a foldable blade knife having a blade adapted to swing sideways with respect to an elongated handle that houses said blade in a storage state and supports said blade in a deployed state forwardly of said handle and in line therewith, said knife constructed so as to reduce the hazard of inadvertent folding of said blade during use.
It is another object of this invention to provide a folding knife of the aforesaid nature of durable construction and amenable to low cost manufacture.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.